♦ You didn't expect to hear that Lydia Hearst actually wrote that column in Page Six magazine by herself, did you? In response to Hearst's accusation that Page Six fabricated her latest column—the one in which she bashed her family's publishing company—the mag now says that Hearst's writing process involved being interviewed by a reporter who then "put her thoughts into cohesive paragraphs." And they have the emails to prove Lydia's trash talk. [P6]
♦ Madonna is reportedly under pressure from the leaders of Kabbalah to reach a divorce settlement quickly, lest the mess cast a negative light on their freaky cult. Guy Ritchie, however, isn't making it any easier now that he's apparently rejected Madge's latest £20 million offer. [Daily Mail, ThisIsLondon] ♦ Michael Phelps got paid $100,000 to swim around at a pool party thrown by a TV network chief's wife. [P6]♦ It's a match made in heaven: Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Jerry Ferrara, who plays Turtle on Entourage, are dating. [R&M]

♦ Hundreds of mourners gathered outside Jennifer Hudson's family home last night, hours after her 7-year-old nephew was found murdered. [NYDN, ET]♦ Michael Lohan says he regrets everything he's said about Samantha Ronson, and that he now realizes speaking to the media about his daughter's love-life was probably the wrong choice. Better late than never? [MSNBC] ♦ Beyonce and Jay-Z spent $70,000 on a new dining room table for their Tribeca pad. [E!]♦ Bridget Marquardt is keeping quiet about rumors that she and Hugh Hefner have secretly split up. [NYDN]
♦ Is Michael Jackson planning a 30-city comeback tour? Probably not! [MSNBC]♦ Elle Macpherson is denying that she's dating ex-con Brian Burgess. [E!]♦ LL Cool J has dropped out as the opening act on Janet Jackson's tour because of unspecified "scheduling conflicts." [ET]♦ The case between Keanu Reeves and the paparazzo he allegedly ran into with his car finally made it to court yesterday. [NYDN]♦ Britney Spears agreed to tone down her "trademark raunchy performance" for a GMA appearance in December. [The Sun]♦ Actor Danny Huston, the younger half-brother of Anjelica Huston, is mourning the suicide of his estranged wife, Katie Jane Evans. [P6]♦ Former supermodel Carol Alt and her ex-husband, retired Rangers star Ron Greschner, are facing off in court today over $1 million Alt says she's owed. [NYDN]♦ Canadian-born truTV anchor Ashleigh Banfield is now a US citizen, just in case you care. [P6]♦ A "cowboy-clad" Gerard Butler was the most popular guest at Kate Hudson's Halloween party last weekend. [P6]♦ Jessica Simpson and her sad movies are huge in Russia, you'll be happy to hear. [Fox 411]